October 30, 2008
Politics:
Ministry of Justice sums up nine-month results
Economics:
Industrial Fair Launched in Tashkent, Its Second Day Underway
Samarkand region' economy up 7.1%
Kashkadarya region's GRP up 11.3% in Jan-Sep
Karakalpakstan posts 5.8% GRP growth
Economy of Namangan region grows 10.6% in Jan-Sep
ICT sector’s profit grows
Society:
Inclusive education forum opens
Seminar Held as a Part of Healthy Lifestyle Propaganda
Tashkent Hosts Photography Masters from Four Continents
POLICY
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE SUMS UP NINE-MONTH RESULTS
The Ministry of Justice of Uzbekistan held an extended meeting to sum up the results of the work of the judicial bodies over the first nine months of the year. The meeting was chaired by the minister of justice R.Muhitdinov.
It was noted that the judiciary was working to protect the rights and freedoms of the citizens seeking justice. In the reporting period, numerous illegal decisions of organizations and institutions were cancelled and the violated rights of the citizens were restored.
The ministry is conducting wide-scale awareness-raising activities in order to improve the legal culture of the population. The work is also conducted to implement the decree of the President of 1 May 2008 on the events devoted to the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Measures are being taken to restore the violated rights and legitimate interests of the businesses and citizens. The major part of the claims was solved in their favor.
Based on the letters of the justice bodies, 48 officials were brought to criminal responsibility, 793 to administrative responsibility and 327 were relieved of their posts.
ECONOMY
INDUSTRIAL FAIR LAUNCHED IN TASHKENT, ITS SECOND DAY UNDERWAY
On October 27 this year the Republican Industrial Fair and Cooperation Exchange took off in the city of Tashkent, according to the news agencies.
More than 300 domestic enterprises and organizations are demonstrating their products at the pavilions and exposition platforms of the Open Joint-Stock Company Uzexpocenter National Exhibition Complex.
The latest designs and import-substituting products that meet international standards have been displayed at 7,000 square meters of exposition area.
The Industrial Fair and Cooperation Exchange is held with an aim to assist entities to optimize manufacturing, consolidate and develop intra-sector and inter-agency cooperation, look for partners and conclude deals between domestic producers for supply of their own produce.
According to the reports, Fair and Exchange is held at two stages: the branch-wise expositions and fairs are conducted at the first stage and the Nation-wide sector-based industrial fair and cooperation exchange are held at the second one.
The leading branches of industry are displaying products on the following production sectors: geological exploration, extraction and processing of mineral and raw resources, high technologies, automobile building, aircraft making, agricultural machinery, electro-technical industry, chemical, pharmaceutical, light and food industries, sector of construction materials, printing, transport and transport machinery are showcasing their products.
“The Fair is intended to consolidate sector-based and branch-wise ties between various complexes of economy,” first deputy director general of the scientific and production union of Pahtatozalash at the Uzpahtasanoat Association Victor Dyachkov said, “here we have a unique opportunity to exchange views concerning demand in logistical and technical resources and mainly – to realize our own program on import-substitution.”
Today we demonstrate our products manufactured here in Uzbekistan. For over the past two years along with a partner company of Deutsche Cable we have been able to start producing packaging belts for binding bale of cotton. Before the country used to procure such binding material from abroad in mass volumes, he added.
“For over the past two years the Russian investors put into production nearly seven million dollars,” director general of the Samarkand Elevator Plant Abdullah Karimov said, “this has allowed to reconstruct our plant, modernize production and install latest equipment. Staring next year we are going to start manufacturing new generation elevators set to carry 10 people at a time. Later, we plan to set up production of elevators able to take in up to 14 people. By late this year we will manufacture 750 elevators but starting early next year – we aim to produce 2.500 elevators per year.”
At the site the delegates and other participants of the Fair enjoy on-line consultations by specialists of ministries and agencies of Uzbekistan, banks, insurance companies and organizations engaged in standardization and certification.
SAMARKAND REGION' ECONOMY UP 7.1%
Samarkand region' gross regional product (GRP) increased by 7.1% in January-September 2008 and industrial production rose by 26.9%. The share of industry in GRP made up 12.2%.
The region recorded 2.2% growth in agriculture, 16.5% in construction, 12.2% in retail trade turnover and 15.9% in services.
Enterprises of the region increased exports by 52.9% year-on-year in the reporting period, UzA reported.
About 25 projects were implemented within the localization progamme, which helped to save US$13.5 million and produce goods for 10.5 billion soums. The export of ready products made up US$3.6 million.
Currently, over 38,832 business entities registered in Samarkand region. The share of small and private businesses in GRP reached 67.8%.
KASHKADARYA REGION'S GRP UP 11.3% IN JAN-SEP
In nine months of 2008, the gross regional product (GRP) of Kashkadarya region increased 11.3% and industrial production rose 19.1%.
The agriculture output grew 19.1% and production of consumer goods up 18.2% in the region in January-September, UzA said.
The region attracted 163 billion soums of investments to modernize 53 industrial enterprises. About 107 small industrial enterprises started their work in January-September 2008.
KARAKALPAKSTAN POSTS 5.8% GRP GROWTH
Karakalpakstan's gross regional product (GRP) increased 5.8% in nine months of 2008, UzA reported.
The industrial output of Karakalpakstan grew 11.4% and consumer goods production up 16.1% in the reporting period.
The report said the service volume rose 24.4% and exports increase 52.8%.
The share of small and private businesses made up 52.8%.
ECONOMY OF NAMANGAN REGION GROWS 10.6% IN JAN-SEP
Namangan region's deputies summed up the results of socio-economic development of the region in nine months of 2008, UzA reported.
The report said that the gross regional product (GRP) grew 10.6% in the reporting period and industrial output increase 18.5%. Production of consumer product rose 18.5%.
Retail trade turnover increased 14.7% and services 23.9%. The region attracted investments for 218.6 billion soums and foreign direct investments – US$14.3 million.
The share of small and private businesses in GRP comprised 66.3%.
ICT SECTOR’S PROFIT GROWS
The profit of the information and communication technologies sector in the nine months of 2008 exceeded UZS 1 trillion, which is 65.8% more than in the same period of last year. Of that figure, the volume of services to the population increased by 43.2% to UZS 536 billion.
According to Uzbek Agency for Communication and Information, the number of fixed line telephones made up over 1.8 million, and the level of digitization of the telephone stations reached 86%.
New mobile network subscriptions made up almost 5 million in the nine months, reaching 10.88 million as of 1 October.
The total speed of access to international information networks made up 515 Mbps. The number of internet users increased to 2.37 million or 83 users per 1,000 people. The number of domains in the .UZ zone exceeded 7,350 (21% more against 1 January).
The number of digital signature keys and certificates issued to date makes up almost 25,400. There are three digital signature keys registration centers in the country today.
SOCIETY
INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FORUM OPENS
The two-day international forum on inclusive education and social support of the children opened in Tashkent. The event has been organized jointly with the UNICEF, UNESCO and the UNDP and has gathered heads of state and public structures, as well as local and foreign specialists in children’s rights.
The purpose of the forum is to discuss the modern tendencies in social youth policy, forms of supporting children and young people, and develop recommendations on their improvement and practical use.
The level of development of inclusive education is an indicator of development of the whole system of social support in the society, Lola Karimova, permanent representative of Uzbekistan in the UNESCO and chairman of the board of trustees of the fund Sen Yolg‘iz Emassan (You are not alone), said opening the event.
Uzbekistan has formed an efficient mechanism of social support of the children, and has a corresponding legal base. Children with limited capabilities are in the sphere of special attention. These activities are held in cooperation with various international organizations.
Uzbekistan ratified the Convention on the rights of the child in 1992. A number of laws, including on the guarantees of the child’s rights and on social protection of the disabled, were adopted. The country has also ratified the Convention on the minimum age for employment and the Convention on prohibition and urgent measures to eliminate the worst forms of child labor.
More than 90% of people with limited capabilities in the world have no access to normal education, head of the UNESCO office in Uzbekistan Anna Paolini said. The solution of this problem, as related to children, is among the Millennium development goals. Uzbekistan is paying a great attention to this, and the results of the activities in this direction are evident.
The forum participants noted that in order to increase the efficiency of the social policy a close cooperation had to be established among the state bodies, public associations and international organizations.
SEMINAR HELD AS A PART OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROPAGANDA
On the initiative of Kamalak Children’s Organization at the Council of the Surkhandarya Regional Department of the Kamolot Public Youth Movement seminar on the topic “I choose a healthy way of life, and you?” was held in Termez, according to the Uzbekistan National News Agency.
The event was held as a part of the Year of Youth State Program. The participants have particularly noted that a special attention is now paid in Uzbekistan to upbringing comprehensively healthy young generation, creating necessary conditions to unveiling and developing talents and potential of youth. A considerable work is being accomplished on safeguarding youth from such phenomena as drug addiction, smoking, alcoholism and HIV, as well as on consolidating healthy lifestyle.
The Kamalak Children’s Organization regularly holds various cultural and enlightenment events, sports competitions and intellectual contests at regional pre-school education establishments and schools.
The seminar held in Termez aimed at propagating healthy way of life. It was held as a dialogue and the young people received answers for the questions of their concern posed to medical workers and specialists.
TASHKENT HOSTS PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERS FROM FOUR CONTINENTS
From October 20 to October 27 this year the “TashkentALE – 2008” Fourth Tashkent International Photo-biennale and the Second International festival of actual photo- and video arts “East and West. On the intersections of Tashkent” was held at the Uzbek capital.
The expositions of photographs were demonstrated at the six exhibition halls in Tashkent and ancient city of Bukhara.
The Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, Tashkent House of Photography and Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Fund organized the events which were dedicated to the 2200th anniversary of Tashkent.
The forum of modern photography arts hosted about 100 photographers from 20 countries such as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Canada, China, Egypt, the Great Britain, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Pakistan, Puerto-Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
The photography masters demonstrated their best color and black & white photographs on three nominations: “Mind plus intuition”, “Gesture and mimicry”, as well as “Youth and time” on which the connoisseurs of photo-arts could observe historical development and significance of arts of photography.
“If at the first biennales we have just acquainted the public with phenomena which are in the world of modern photography yet now we have an opportunity to show history on the move forward. First we were going to present only historical photographs but later we have decided to showcase works of modern photographs, as well,” the director of Tashkent House of Photography Shakhnoza Karimbabaeva said.
“Photography is the most democratic from all other arts,” a historian Boris Golender said. “It is the most available for millions of people which allows to follow many things, which maybe now we do not notice. These photographs are further becoming important documental sources of our civilization. It has already been proved.”
“Such exhibitions give opportunity to get into contact with professional masters and people from various countries, allow for intersection of various cultures and various views, as well as exchange of creative ideas which serve as a good impulse for further works,” Midori Sakurai of Japan shared her view.
From above 700 photographs exhibited at the International Photo-biennale vividly demonstrated modern tendency of photographic arts of four continents – Asia, Europe, America and Africa.